In this Must Know…
- FY 2018 Budget!
- Annual Member Meeting, June 5-6: Registration, Session Proposals, Faces Award, and Hotel Info
- Take Action: Money for Micro Business
- Join us for MicroLending Essentials on April 16-17, 2018 at the SBA offices in San Francisco.
- The Goodies – This week’s highlight is that CAMEO is hiring a Marketing and Communications Associate. Scroll down for other open jobs in the sector.
FY 2018 Budget!
After a handful of Continuing Resolutions, Congress reached a deal on an omnibus spending bill, the consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, that will fund the government through the end of fiscal 2018. CAMEO’s and your hard work in Washington on behalf of the programs that we care about, had mostly positive results. We are pleased to report that funding levels for the Rural Business Development Grant program increased to almost the amount that we requested but that was at the expense of the Intermediary Relending Program. CAMEO was ambitious in asking for $10M for PRIME and $100M for WBCs. We consider it a success in this political climate that the PRIME program still exists and that WBCs didn’t have a budget cut. Also, the CDFI Fund was not zeroed out as President Trump had proposed. The Microloan Lending program saw a big percentage cut, which we will look into for future advocacy efforts. Funding Levels included in package:
| Program | Amount |
|---|---|
| Treasury CDFI Fund | $250M (0.8% increase from FY2017, same as CAMEO request) |
| SBA Microloan – Lending | $36M (18% decrease from FY2017,CAMEO request was to maintain FY 2017 $44M ) |
| SBA Microloan – Technical Assistance | $31M (Same as FY2017 and CAMEO request) |
| SBA PRIME | $5M (same as FY15-17, CAMEO request $10M) |
| SBA WBC | $18M (same as FY17, CAMEO request was $100M) |
| SBA SBDCs | $130M (4% increase from FY2017, same as CAMEO request) |
| Rural Business Development Grant Program | $34M (42% increase over FY2017, CAMEO request was $35M) |
| Intermediary Relending Program | $8.8M (6% decrease from FY2017, CAMEO request was $19M) |
| Value Added Producer Grants | $16M (11% decrease from FY2017, CAMEO request was $11M ) |
Please take the time to thank your legislators for their support! Find your representative by typing your zip code in the box in the top right-hand corner of the House’s website. Email Senators Diane Feinstein and Kamala Harris.
Annual Member Meeting, June 5-6: Registration, Session Proposals, Faces Award, and Hotel Info
Each year, CAMEO members gather in Sacramento to discuss the wider trends in our field and meet with legislators to advocate for the micro sector. Internally at CAMEO, it’s been a year of transition and external forces are rapidly shifting. So we thought it fitting to organize this year’s meeting around the theme – “Thriving in Transition.”
REGISTER
Join us on June 5-6, 2018 in Sacramento for Carolina’s first annual meeting, capacity building, networking, fun, and advocacy for the sector (see the Take Action section below!) Register for Thriving in Transition and take advantage of the early bird pricing.
SUGGEST A SESSION
We’ve changed the format back to two days. The first will concentrate on capacity building and the second on advocacy. Because we want to hear from you, this year to shake things up, we are seeking breakout session proposals from our members. Learn more and submit a session proposal. The deadline for submissions is April 6, 2018. CAMEO will notify applicants if their proposal has been accepted by April 13, 2018.
NOMINATE A CLIENT
Nominate your successful clients for the Eighth Annual CAMEO Faces of Entrepreneurship Award by April 20, 2018.
BOOK YOUR HOTEL
We are back at the Sterling Hotel,1300 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. We’ve booked a limited number of rooms at the Sterling. For those of you who have been there before, it is a small boutique hotel, so make your reservations early. Approximate costs are:
- King, $216.31
- Queen, $205.96
- Double, $226.66
To reserve your room, call 916-448-1300 and use the code “CAMEO1”. (You cannot book online with the code.)
Take Action: Money for Micro Business
I’ve mentioned that the Governor’s FY 2018-2019 budget includes $20 million for small business technical assistance. In order to get the money out, it needs to be associated with a program that can distribute the money. Assembly Members Quirk-Silva and Cervantes introduced AB 2463, Small Business Assistance Act of 2018. We’re grateful to everyone who has been involved in this issue for recognizing the importance of investing in small business development. The bill lays out a framework on how to leverage federal dollars for small business assistance and creates the “California Small Business Assistance Program.” We are working with our partners in the state Small Business California and Small Business Majority to ensure that the final bill effectively and efficiently distributes the money to help the most California businesses.
It’s time for your letters of support! We are doing three letters: one for the bill and two for the budget committees of the Assembly and the Senate. Please do all three. This 15 minutes will be the best 15 minutes you’ve spent to support the microbusiness sector in a long time! Many thanks in advance
- Download the support letter for AB 2463, put it on your letterhead, edit as necessary (examples are on page 2).
- Download the support letter for the $20 million in the Governor’s budget for the Assembly committee, put it on your letterhead, edit as necessary (examples are on page 2).
- Download the support letter for the $20 million in the Governor’s budget for the Senatecommittee, put it on your letterhead, edit as necessary (examples are on page 2).
- Pdf each one and send it to me by April 4, 2018.
The Goodies
New opportunities for training, conference information, funding, scholarships, and other information that have crossed our desks since the last Must Know. I have posted a running tab of current Industry Goodies on the CAMEO website that lists items that were in past emails. Check it out to make sure you’re not missing anything, like grants whose deadlines are still alive!
Member Kudos: AnewAmerica was named one of the Five Winners of the Renewal Awards! The Renewal Awards recognized 10 organizations with grants from Allstate to further their work. Five winners received $20,000 and another five runners-up were awarded $10,000.
New Report: Thumbtack surveyed more than 14,000 small business owners 55 and older across the United States, to evaluate the business friendliness of their local governments, what motivated them to start their own small business and how their experience impacts their business success.
Future of Work MeetUps: California Forward is hosting a series of Future of Work Meetups to talk about how artificial intelligence, the rise of gig economy platforms, and a new wave of automation will further change the future of work and the skill sets required to thrive in the workforce. Sign up for one of the regional events all over the state during the months of March and April.
State Survey: The California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) in partnership with the California Community Colleges Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research (COE) is leading an effort to help education and workforce training providers create or improve programs to respond to California’s needs for a skilled cybersecurity workforce. Please join us in our effort to conduct a substantive cybersecurity labor market analysis for California by filling out the survey and passing it on.
Professional Conference (for you and your clients): The 8th annual La Cocina Conference will expand and force some intentional, exciting and considerate conversations around food as engines for economic development in our communities. On April 16-18, La Cocina invites chefs, placemakers, policy activists, writers, academics and consumers who believe that social justice must be a part of our dining culture to gather at the Golden Gate Club in the Presidio, San Francisco. Early bird tickets are available but there is a limited amount.
Moving Main Street Forward: AEO’s microbusiness and microfinance conference is a must-attend event for professionals providing capital, technical assistance and other forms of trusted guidance to Main Street and microbusiness owners. The agenda will be packed with inspiring keynotes, thought-provoking plenaries and compelling breakout sessions designed to engage attendees in bold and provocative conversations on using inclusion, innovation and investment to move Main Streets across the country forward. See you in Detroit, Michigan, April 30 to May 2, 2018. Check out the newly released agenda! Thanks to the generous support of Moving Main Street Forward sponsors, AEO has released a limited number of registrations for just $399! These will run out quickly, so don’t delay — claim your spot today! Also, CAMEO has a limited amount of scholarship available, contact Heidi Pickman for more information.
For Your Clients: Register now for the #SmallBusinessWeek Virtual Conference! The U.S. Small Business Administration and SCORE Association will host a free, 3-Day Virtual Conference during National Small Business Week. The Virtual Conference offers all the best parts of an in-person conference, but without the hassle of traveling. Watch 12 educational webinars, get free business advice from mentors, pick up free information and resources from sponsors and network with fellow business owners.
Professional Conference: Join the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (CHCC) for their Legislative Conference on May 16, 2018 in Sacramento. The conference provides a platform for Hispanic business leaders and Chamber members to engage in the legislative process. The Legislative Conference attendees participate in educational forums, networking opportunities, and gain insight on how to activate local members, and stakeholders on initiatives impacting their business community. A state procurement matchmaking session will be added to this year’s conference with California State Agencies.
For Your Clients: Join Small Business California for their 2018 Education Day on May 22, 2018 in Sacramento. Small business owners from around the state will hear from leading experts on relevant issues such as: Workers Compensation, Medical Marijuana in the Workplace, State Contracting Opportunities, CalSavers Retirement Savings Program, PAGA Lawsuits, Universal Healthcare or Single Payer Plans, Employment Development Department, and more.
For Your Clients: California State Treasurer’s Office launched CBIG.ca.gov, the California Business Incentives Gateway that connects business owners and entrepreneurs to incentives to help them grow and create jobs.
New Report: California NonProfits share how the California nonprofit community responded in their 2017 annual report: “Strengthening the Ecosystem for Nonprofits in California.”
New Report: NAWBO released a white paper – “Spotlight on H.R. 5050: The Bill that Changed Everything for Women Business Owners”. The paper reflects on the provisions that transformed the course for women business owners and highlights the current areas for improved policy and better women involvement.
New Report: The National Women’s Business Council has released a report – “Understanding the Landscape: Access to Capital for Women Entrepreneurs.” Join them for their second quarter public meeting in Fiscal Year 2018 on Wednesday, March 28, 2018, from 11:00am-12:30pm PT // 2:00pm-3:30pm ET.
New Report: Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, released a report titled: “Tackling the Gender Gap: What Women Entrepreneurs Need to Thrive.” This timely study draws on interviews with 14 female entrepreneurs, who detail the obstacles they faced and how they overcame them, to highlight current initiatives and provide recommendations to eliminate the unique barriers confronting women-owned small businesses.
Professional Networking: Join the CDFI Women’s Network (CWN) on the CDFI Connect Community! Login and navigate to the all communities page, find the CDFI Women’s Network community and click the green join button in the upper right corner. For assistance, please email community@ofn.org. CWN is an independent, women-led, volunteer organization dedicated to promoting the advancement of women who work for CDFIs or for organizations that support the Community Development Finance industry.